Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-11-25
LARKIN q. MEAD.

NfAhAhAhAAN " AhAAAhks
HIS PLAN FOR THE ADoRNMENr or THE WASH.
lNGToN MONUMENT-THE RECORDING AN.
GEL IN THE LONDON ExHIBITION-soNr
or HIS OTHER WORK.
Letter TO the Baltimore Union.1
Congress very likely will be called upon
to consider plan for the adornment Of the
Washington monument. Some years ago
Larkin q. Mead, the well known American
sculptor, who is now living in Florence.
was in this city, and conceived an idea that
series Of bas. reliefs would greatly add 10
the effect Of the monument then in its un-
completed condition. He consulted the
president of the monument fund, but was
unable 10 gain any satisfaction. His idea
was to model four immense basso relieves
illustrating four Of the greatest scenes in
Washington's life. Mr. Mead's notion was
70 place these about the base Of the shaft.
and on his return 10 Florence set to work
TO model them. His idea. however was
not concurred in by the gentlemen in
charge because the idea was contrary 10
the model Of the monument. The original
is a monolith, and the insertion Of panels
at the base will be 10 destroy entirely the
idea Of an obelisk, which is verticaity.
Hieroglyphics cut in or written upon the
shaft would he symmetrical and in keeping.
but to place "A band in relief around the
base would be too great liberty. These
were the chief objections to Mr. Mead's
plan. The figures Of the reliefs were 50
excellent that Col. Casey and Architect of
the Capitol Edward Clark were so pleased
with them that plans and designs were
drawn up for an ornamental base, in which
places were left for the Mead reiefs Con
gress, however, failed TO appropriate any
money for the architectural base, and the
grounds were graded and laid off as they
are at present but il is the intention Of
some Of the members to Congress b. try
and have the plan of the architectural base
brought before Congress this session, and if
possible, money appropriated to carry out
the idea Mr.. Mead deserves a great deal
of credit for his work, and being one of
the few representative American artists, he
certainly ought to be encouraged. and no
doubt, Congress will do it in this way, and
add one Of the finest and most appropriate
surrounding TO one Of the grandest monu-
ments in the world. Mr. Mead has in his
studio in Florence, which is on the Via Bar
bano. an immense ideal statue of what he
calls Mississippi" The block of marble
weighed A tons in the rough, and the stat
ue when completed, will be the largest
since Michael Angeles David 1t is mod
elled somewhat after the idea Of the cele
brated Nile" in the Vatican. 1t repre-.
scnts a reclining figure % feet tall, of nat
urally massive proportions, and conveying
the grandeur Of the largest river in Amer
lea. Surrounding the statue are the prod
ucts Of the Mississippi. both land and wa
ter These are grouped with the artistic
taste an beauty which so characterizes Mr.,
Mead's work. The statue is almost com
peted, and it is thought that it will bc pur-
chased by one of the larger cities Of the
West and placed 10 position in that city
where it will carry down the name Of Lar
kin q. Mead to posterity and fame. Mr..
Mead has also in his wonderful studio a cast
Of group Of the family Of Senator Stan
ford Of California Young Leland Stan
ford, just before his death in Florence, Wis
tied Mr. Mead's studio, and the sculptor Sc
cured faithful likeness Of the young man.
From this and also ikenesses Of the sena
tor and his wife Mr.. Mead has modelled his
group. 1t is a wonderfully life-like work,
the senator and Mrs. Stanford being espe-
cially fine likenesses That of the son,
which stands on a sort of elevation some
what above the father and mother. is an
idealized portrait of the Young man whose
sad death caused so much sorrow. Mr..
Mead had in the American exhibition in
London the only good things in that failure.
Had it not been for his statues of the
Snow Angel" and Fourth of July" the
art exhibition would have been a sorry fail
ure. The Snow Angel is a beautiful
work, full Of poetry and grandeur and
would make Mr.. Mead famous if it was his
only work, but he has many others which
will bring him a reputation He has in his
studio a number of busts and bas-reliefs of
well known Americans Among them,
Just finished, is one of j. Alexander Shriv-
er, of Baltimore. This was taken last sum
mer when that gentleman was in Florence.
Mr.. Mead sent model to compete for the
Lafayette statue TO be erected in this city,
but the Judges although they admired his
work, thought it best, as it was compli-
ment to France, 10 select a French sculp-
tor, and 50 Mr.. Mead's model was not ac-
cepted.